MMA

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane Accuses School Of Firing Her Father As Retaliation For Lawsuit

Bellator MMA Women’s Flyweight Champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, her sister in Mahina Macfarlane Souza and a third unnamed woman filed a lawsuit against the Punahou School District last month, alleging sexual abuse by former basketball coach Dwayne Yeun.

Macfarlane’s father, Walter Macfarlane, was recently fired from his position at the Punahou School District after serving as a teach there for nearly four decades.

Walter issued the following statement to KITV4 on his firing by the Punahou School District (via Bloody Elbow):

“Today I was informed directly by Punahou School that I was no longer welcome to continue my work with student testing classes…There was no misunderstanding as to what I was told. I was told in no uncertain terms that I can’t work there anymore. My daughters were courageous in coming forward after they were sexually abused at Punahou School, and now Punahou School is coming after me. This is very sad.”

A member of the Punahou School District also issued a statement to KITV4 on the firing of Walter Macfarlane:

“To preserve the integrity of the independent investigation into allegations at Punahou, all current employees identified in the complaints will be taking leave with pay. Our employees are not named as defendants in the complaints. They do, however, recognize the need for the process to be completed in the most forthright and objective way possible. Punahou supports their decisions and looks forward to a full and fair investigation of the facts.”

The Bellator Women’s Flyweight Champion would issue a statement to Hawaii News Now on her father’s firing, believing it was done in retaliation for the lawsuit:

“For them to fire him today basically through a text message was pretty just, OK, now we see how they feel about the survivors. Dwayne Yuen, you messed with the wrong group of girls and now we are all strong women. Your time is up.”

Another plaintiff in the lawsuit would issue a statement as well, blasting the Punahou School District for keeping people with knowledge of the alleged sexual abuse on their payroll:

“Punahou’s decision to allow certain administrators, faculty and staff with knowledge of sex abuse problems to remain employed is disappointing. It is devastating to see administrators responsible for these sex abuse problems receiving protection and financial support from the school.”

An investigation, as well as the lawsuit itself, is still on going and no resolution has been agreed upon at this time.

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